Php 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my
prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first
day until now.
God has
surrounded Tanya and me with some very special people in His church family. In
every congregation we have served, there have been individuals and couples who
knew just how to minister to a minister … and his wife. Local ministry can be
very lonely, and the challenges can be daunting. The devil is relentless. But
again and again the Lord has provided just the people we needed to keep going
strong.
We are
thankful for people who trust us. They let us be part of their lives. They hand
us their new babies to hold. They share their triumphs. They confide in us
their struggles with marriage, children, health, employment, and faith. They
make themselves open and vulnerable to us. They make us feel needed,
appreciated, and loved.
We are
thankful for people who understand us. They know that, in addition to being a
preacher and his wife, we are a husband and wife, a father and a mother. We
share the same concerns about our children that all parents do. We also have
bills to pay and doctors’ appointments to keep. We sometimes drop the ball or
fail to show up, but we mean well. These friends recognize our limitations and
do not have us on a perfect pedestal. They know that we need friends, and they
invite us to spend time and do things together. They cut us slack and give us
the benefit of the doubt.
We are
thankful for people who partner with us in ministry. What a joy it is to have
elders, deacons, fellow ministers and administrative assistants offer sincere
respect, solid support, and clear communication. They have our back and take up
for us. They listen when we speak and offer faithful, constructive help. They
share with us a strong work ethic and a passionate desire to serve the Lord. We
never feel alone.
We owe
so much to so many. And we owe it all to the Lord.
To comment and/or to
receive notices of future blog posts, please email cory247 [AT symbol] gmx [dot
com]. God bless.
Cory
Collins
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